NATIONAL VIDEO

School board OKs shuffling of South Hall schools

Measure to save system $1.5 million

The Hall County school board unanimously approved a plan that will transfer three South Hall schools to different school buildings in August to save $1.5 million in start-up costs associated with opening the new Spout Springs high school.

The school board approved the school shuffle proposal Monday, saying the move will save about 24 system teachers' jobs and $1.5 million on staffing the new Spout Springs school's media center, cafeteria and front office, among other expenses.

South Hall Middle School students will relocate to C.W. Davis Middle School, and Davis Middle students will move into the current Flowery Branch High School building on Hog Mountain Road. Flowery Branch High students will move to the new $36.5 million school building off Spout Springs Road.

The board plans to renovate the vacant South Hall Middle School building over the next two years and could reopen it as a charter school.

The relocation plan will cost about $50,000 to implement, said Hall County schools Superintendent Will Schofield.Hall County school board member Nath Morris said the school shuffle plan is a result of school officials "thinking out of the box."

"I think it's a great fit for the number of students we have and the number of facilities we have," Morris said."This opens the door for us to jump in and really be progressive," said Hall County school board member Brian Sloan, who represents the South Hall area.